Divider mechanism for article conveyors

ABSTRACT

Articles hanging from a conveyor are deflected out of their normal path of advancement by swingable fingers actuated by the article supporting units. The arrangement is such as to deflect one of any number of units while those not deflected continue their normal course. Guide rails receive the deflected units and hold them within a separate path for a predetermined distance of travel.

United States Patent 1191 Scheier et a1.

DIVIDER MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE CONVEYORS Inventors: Donaid J. S'cheier, Kansas City, Mo.;

James A. Bonuchi, Merriam, Kans'.

Assignee: Johnson Gordon Company, Kansas,

Filed: Apr. 1, 1969 Appl. No.: 812,072

U.S. c1. 198/177, 198/31 AC 1111. c1. B65g 17/20 Field 111 Search... 198/31, 34, 129, 177, 31 AC, 198/31.1, 31.2, 31.3; 104/130, 88, 172, 173; 17/11, 44.1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,564,477 Glass I98/31.3

Ill

1&

1111 3,811,555 1451 May 21,.1974

1,747,465 2/1930 Cameron 198/313 2,958,092 11/1960 Curtis 17/11 3,065,714 11/1962 Orwin 104/83 2,818,600 1/1958 Zebarth 17/44.1

Primary ExaminerRichard E. Aegerter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey & Williams [5 7] ABSTRACT Articles hanging from a conveyor are deflected out of their normal path of advancement by swingable fingers actuated by the article supporting units. The arrangement is such as to deflect one of any number of units while those not deflected continue their normal course. Guide rails receive the deflected units and hold them within a'separate path for a predetermined distance of travel.

l3'Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Ilia DIVIDER MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE CONVEYORS It is an important object of our present invention to provide divider mechanism for article conveyors which automatically. selects an article during advancement and places it in a new path of travel laterally offset from the normal course of the conveyed article to permit further processing, inspection or the like of the deflected article while it is held in the deflected position.

Another important object of the instant invention is the provision of divider mechanism for article conveyors that may be adapted for selection of one of any number of articles being conveyed, for example, every other article, one out of three articles, one out of four articles, or any other arrangement to suit the desires of the operator and the needs of the user.

Still another object of our instant invention is the provision of divider mechanism for article conveyors that is completely automatic by virtue of the fact that all of the component movable parts of the mechanism are actuated by the article supporting units themselves as they are advanced along the conveyor track.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of divider mechanism for article conveyors made in accordance with our present invention, parts being broken away for clearness;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2, parts being broken away and in section to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view similar to FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of using a series of the mechanisms in a single conveyor line. I

An overhead conveyor 10 has a track 12 provided with an upstanding rib l4 and supporting a series of article supportingunits l6 therefrom for advancement in the direction of arrow 18 shown in FIG. 2. Each unit 16 includes a wheeled trolley 20 having a hanger assembly 22 which includes a chain 24 depending from and swingably attached to trolley 20 by a swivel 26 and a double eye hook 28. The chains 24 are adapted to support articles (not shown) to be advanced by the conveyor 10. In the event that the divider mechanism for article conveyors forming the subject matter of this invention is utilized in a poultry processing plant, the bird being advanced would normally be suspended from shackles 27 suspended from the chains 24 by double eye hooks 29. Drop rods may be used in lieu of chains 24. The trolleys 20 are interconnected by a chain 30.

An L-shaped bracket 32 has a plate 34 rigid to the upper edge of the rib 14, plate 34 supporting a vertical shaft 36 having an impulse member 38 rigid thereto beneath the track 12. Wheel member 38 is provided with a plurality of prongs 40 disposed for successive engagement by the trolleys 20 whereby the member 38 and its shaft 36 are rotated in the direction of arrow 42 (FIG. 1) during advancement of the chain and trolleys 20 connected thereto.

A transverse channel 44 rigid to the upper edge of rib 14 has an L-shaped bracket 46 at one end thereof, the bracket 46 and the channel 44 supporting a shaft 50 semblies 22 laterally from their normal path of travel,

includes a pair of horizontally swingable fingers 68 spaced apart as shown in FIG. 1 for receiving the assemblies 22. therebetween during advancement.

Four vertical tubes 70 are secured'to the channel 44 and depend therefrom to a position below the chain 30.

Two of the tubes 70 have ears 72 thereon which support the fingers 68 for horizontal swinging movement about the vertical axes of pins 74 carried by the ears 72. In addition to the link 62, the linkage arrangement 64 includes a pair of vertical rods 76 which oscillate within plates 78 on channel 44 and within bearings 80 on proximal tubes 70 in opposed relationship to the lowermost ears 72.

Linkage 64 includes additionally cranks 82 rigid to rods 76- adjacent bearings 80 and links 84 pivotally interconnecting the fingers 68gand the cranks 82. Still further, the linkage arrangement 64 includes links 86 rigid to the rods 76 and pivotally connected with the link 62.

A pair of spaced rods 88, shaped and disposed to present an entrance mouth 90 and an outlet 92, guide the assemblies 22 between the fingers 68 and to one side or the other of a pair of vertically spaced divider plates 94 and 96, the latter of which is in the outlet 92 and spaced from the rods 88. The rods 88 are rigid to uprights 98 that are vertically adjustable within the tubes 70.

Guide means disposed for receiving the deflected assemblies 22 and holding the same within paths of travel offset from their normal paths of travel include a pair of horizontally spaced and horizontally extending rails 100 and 102 beneath the track 12 and disposed on opposite sides of a vertical plane which depends from the track l2and is parallel with the latter, the rails 100 and 102 extending from the divider plate 96 in the same general direction as the track 12.

The plate 96 is rigid to the rails 100 and 102 as well as to a sleeve 104 which is vertically adjustable on a post 106, it being understood that rails 100 and 102 are provided with additional sleeves I04 and floor supported posts 106 (not shown) beyond the divider plate 96 as may be desired or deemed necessary.

The divider plate 94 is also mounted on the post 106 through the medium of a sleeve 108 which, as in the case of the sleeve 104, is not only vertically adjustable on the post 106 but rotatable thereon for alignment purposes.

OPERATION During operation of the conveyor 10, and as the chain 30 pulls the trolleys 20 along the track 12 in the direction of arrow 18, the trolleys 20 will successively engage the prongs 40 of the impulse member 38, causing the latter as well as the shaft 36 to rotate in the direction of arrow 42.

their cranks 82, the swinging movement of cranks 82 i being transmitted to the fingers 68 through the links 84.

Therefore, as the assemblies 22 pass between the fingers 68 and into the outlet 92 of the rods 88, chains 24 will be guided to one side or the other of the arrowshaped divider plate 94, depending upon the position of the fingers 68.

As the chains 24 progress along the divider plate 94, shackles 27 will be guided to the rails 100 or 102 by the somewhat bullet-shaped divider plate 96. The shackles 27 will slide along the rails 100 or 102, offset from their normal path of travel, to the terminal ends of the rails 100 and 102 (not shown) where they will thereupon again resume their normal position depending vertically from the track 12.

As indicated by FIG. 6 of the drawings, the arrangement is such that every third shackle 27 will be guided along the rail 100 with the two intervening shackles 27 passing along the rail I02 and deflected oppositely from the shackles 27 being advanced along the rail 100.

In FIG. 6 three of the shackles 27 approaching the fingers 68 are designated at A by the numerals l, 2 and 3. A first pair of rails 100 and 102 are illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 6 within a first station B, it being noted that shackles 27 designated bythe numeral 1 advance along the rail 100 whereas the shackles 27 designated 2 and 3 are moving along the rail 102.

lt is possible, therefore, by the provision of a second divider mechanism at station C to thereupon cause the shackles 27 designated by the numeral 2 to travel along the rail 100 with the shackles 27 designated by the numerals 1 and 3 moving along the rail 102.

Still further at station B a third divider mechanism may be used to cause shackles 27 designated by the numeral 3 to travel along the rail 100 with the shackles 27 designated by the numerals 1 and 2 sliding along the rail 102. i

It is to be clearly understood, however, that through use of our divider mechanism, the assemblies 22 may be divided by the fingers 68 in other combinations or multiples. For example, one out of three, four, or more shackles 27 may be guided along the rail 100 while the remaining shackles 27'are guided along the rail 102.

.As above indicated, the divider mechanism of our present invention is especially adapted for use in poultry processing plants requiring governmental inspection of thepoultry, especially the viscera hanging from the bird exteriorly thereof. Each station B, C, and D when it becomes necessary for the inspectors to count the birds prior to inspection, a task which is most difficult in high speed conveyor lines.

It is to be understood, however, that our invention is not limited to facilitate inspection nor is it limited to use in poultry processing plants. The stations B, C, and D might well be article treatment stations where personnel at each station would perform a certain task on the article of production or manufacture as they are advanced by conveyor 10.

Additionally, rail 102 could be eliminated but it does have the advantage of clearly separating the shackles may, therefore, accommodate an inspector and his helper at FIG. 6, and when the divider mechanism is placed in use, each inspector may, for example, inspect every third bird, eliminating the necessity on the part of the inspector to count the birds as they approach his station. That is to say, each inspector is assured of the fact that he is inspecting every third bird and, at the end of the operation, there is an assurance that, with three inspectors on duty, every bird will in fact be inspected without error or miss. Missing of birds 'can happen 27 moving therealong from those which slide along the rail 100. On the other hand, when rail 102 is employed it is not necessary that the stations B, C, and D be located all on one side of the rail certain of such stations could be located along the rail 102.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. Divider mechanism for article conveyors comprismg:

an overhead conveyor having a track provided with a series of article-supporting units depending therefrom for advancement therealong,

each unit having a flexible hanger independently deflectable laterally from a first normal path of travel to a second path of travel laterally offset from said first path, and an article support depending from the hanger;

a device spaced below the conveyor for engagement by said hangers as the, same are advanced along said first path,

said device being shiftable to and from a position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said second'path, and including a pair of horizontally swingable fingers spaced apart for receiving the hangers therebetween during advancement;

a stationary divider aligned with said device for receiving said hangers from the device and holding the same laterally deflected;

stationary guide means spaced beneath the divider for receiving the deflected supports and holding the same within said second path during advancement; and

apparatus operably coupled with said device for periodically shifting the latter to said position whereby to deflect one of the hangers each time the device is shifted to said position.

2. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 1,

said guide means including a rail extending in the same general direction as the track,

said rail being disposed on one side of a vertical plane depending from the track and parallel with the track.

3. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 2,

said guide means including an element at one end of the rail for directing the supports to the rail when the device is in said position.

4. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 1,

said apparatus including an impulse member disposed for actuation by said units as the latter are advanced.

5. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 4,

said apparatus including camming structure interposed between the member and the device. 6. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 5,

said apparatus including an arrangement of linkages interposed between said structure and said fingers.

7. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 4, said member comprising a rotatable wheel having prongs disposed for successive engagement by said units as the latter are advanced.

8. Divider mechanism for article conveyors comprisan overhead conveyor having a track provided with a series of article-supporting units depending therefrom for advancement therealong,

each unit having a flexible hanger independently deflectable laterally from a first normal path of travel to either a second path of travel laterally offset in one direction from said first path or a third path of travel laterally offset in the opposite direction from said first path, and an article support depending from the hanger;

a device spaced below the conveyor for engagement by said hangers as the same are advanced along said first path,

said device being shiftable alternately to a first position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said second path and to a second position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said third path, and including a pair of horizontally swingable fingers spaced apart for receiving the hangers therebetween during advancement;

a stationary divider aligned with said device for receiving said hangers from the device and holding the same laterally deflected;

stationary guide means spaced beneath the divider for receiving the deflected supports and guiding the same within said second path or within said third path during advancement; and

apparatus operably coupled with said device for periodically shifting the latter to said first position and then to said second position whereby to deflect certain hangers to the second path and other hangers to the third path.

9. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 8,

6 said guide means including a pair of horizontally spaced rails extending in the same general direction as the track, one rail being disposed on one side of a vertical plane depending from the track and parallel with the track,

the other rail being disposed on the opposite side of said plane.

10. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 9,

said guide means including a separating element at one end of the rails for directing the supports to one or to the other of said rails, depending upon the position of said fingers.

11. The method of processing birds comprising the steps of: continuously conveying a plurality of predetermined series of suspended birds longitudinally along a prescribed path of travel with the birds of each series being alternately spaced intermediate the birds of the other series, automatically displacing a first predetermined series of birds, equally spaced longitudinally from each other intermediate the spaced birds of the other series, from the prescribed path of travel to a predetermined path of travel while retaining the other predetermined series of birds, spaced intermediate the birds of the first predetermined series in a path of travel other than the displaced path of travel. I

12. The method of claim 11, and further including inspecting the first predetermined series of displaced birds.

13. The method of claim 12, and further including the steps of returning all birds to the prescribed path of travel with the birds of the first predetermined series being alternately spaced intermediate the birds of the other predetermined series, displacing a second predetermined series of spaced birds from said prescribed path while retaining the first predetermined series and a third predetermined series in a path of travel other than the path of travel of the displaced second series of birds, inspecting said second predetermined series of birds, returning all birds to the prescribed path of travel, displacing a third predetermined series of spaced birds from said prescribed path while retaining the first and second predetermined series of birds in a path of travel other than the path of travel of the displaced third predetermined series of birds, and inspecting the third predetermined series of birds. 

1. Divider mechanism for article conveyors comprising: an overhead conveyor having a track provided with a series of article-supporting units depending therefrom for advancement therealong, each unit having a flexible hanger independently deflectable laterally from a first normal path of travel to a second path of travel laterally offset from said first path, and an article support depending from the hanger; a device spaced below the conveyor for engagement by said hangers as the same are advanced along said first path, said device being shiftable to and from a position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said second path, and including a pair of horizontally swingable fingers spaced apart for receiving the hangers therebetween during advancement; a stationary divider aligned with said device for receiving said hangers from the device and holding the same laterally deflected; stationary guide means spaced beneath the divider for receiving the deflected supports and holding the same within said second path during advancement; and apparatus operably coupled with said device for periodically shifting the latter to said position whereby to deflect one of the hangers each time the device is shifted to said position.
 2. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 1, said guide means including a rail extending in the same general direction as the track, said rail being disposed on one side of a vertical plane depending from the track and parallel with the track.
 3. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 2, said guide means including an element at one end of the rail for directing the supports to the rail when the device is in said position.
 4. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 1, said apparatus including an impulse member disposed for actuation by said units as the latter are advanced.
 5. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 4, said apparatus including camming structure interposed between the member and the device.
 6. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 5, said apparatus including an arrangement of linkages interposed between said structure and said fingers.
 7. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 4, said member comprising a rotatable wheel having prongs disposed for successive engagement by said units as the latter are advanced.
 8. Divider mechanism for article conveyors comprising: an overhead conveyor having a track provided with a series of article-supporting units depending therefrom for advancement therealong, each unit having a flexible hanger independently deflectable laterally from a first normal path of travel to either a second path of travel laterally offset in one direction from said first path or a third path of travel laterally offset in the opposite direction from said first path, and an article support depending from the hanger; a device spaced below the conveyor for engagement by said hangers as the same are advanced along said first path, said device being shiftable alternately to a first position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said second path and to a second position deflecting the hangers laterally from said first path into said third path, and including a pair of horizontally swingable fingers spaced apart for receiving the hangers therebetween during advancement; a stationary divider aligned with said device for receiving said hangers from the device and holding the same laterally deflected; stationary guide means spaced beneath the divider for receiving the deflected supports and guiding the same within said second path or within said third path during advancement; and apparatus operably coupled with said device for periodically shifting the latter to said first position and then to said second position whereby to deflect certain hangers to the second path and other hangers to the third path.
 9. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 8, said guide Means including a pair of horizontally spaced rails extending in the same general direction as the track, one rail being disposed on one side of a vertical plane depending from the track and parallel with the track, the other rail being disposed on the opposite side of said plane.
 10. Divider mechanism for article conveyors as claimed in claim 9, said guide means including a separating element at one end of the rails for directing the supports to one or to the other of said rails, depending upon the position of said fingers.
 11. The method of processing birds comprising the steps of: continuously conveying a plurality of predetermined series of suspended birds longitudinally along a prescribed path of travel with the birds of each series being alternately spaced intermediate the birds of the other series, automatically displacing a first predetermined series of birds, equally spaced longitudinally from each other intermediate the spaced birds of the other series, from the prescribed path of travel to a predetermined path of travel while retaining the other predetermined series of birds, spaced intermediate the birds of the first predetermined series in a path of travel other than the displaced path of travel.
 12. The method of claim 11, and further including inspecting the first predetermined series of displaced birds.
 13. The method of claim 12, and further including the steps of returning all birds to the prescribed path of travel with the birds of the first predetermined series being alternately spaced intermediate the birds of the other predetermined series, displacing a second predetermined series of spaced birds from said prescribed path while retaining the first predetermined series and a third predetermined series in a path of travel other than the path of travel of the displaced second series of birds, inspecting said second predetermined series of birds, returning all birds to the prescribed path of travel, displacing a third predetermined series of spaced birds from said prescribed path while retaining the first and second predetermined series of birds in a path of travel other than the path of travel of the displaced third predetermined series of birds, and inspecting the third predetermined series of birds. 